Automatic hay-rack loader or unloader.



No. 632,221 Patented'Sept. 5,1899. w. H. BECKER.

AUTOMATIC l' lAY RACK LU ADEROR UNLDADER.

(Appfication filed m 18, 1899.)

(No model.)

Witnesses; Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

IVILLIAM II. BECKER, OE VVALNU'I, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC HAY-RACK LOADER OR UNLOADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,229, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed May 18,1899. Serial No. 717,317. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM H. BECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at VValnut,in the county of Bureau, State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Automatic Hay-Rack Loader or Unloader; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in an apparatus for loading and unloading hay-racks upon and from the wagontrucks, in combination with a support upon which the said racks may rest when not in use.

The hay-racks in general use are Very heavy and awkward to handle. It requires two and sometimes even four persons to load or unload one of these racks on or from the wagontrucks upon which they are usually carried. When not in use, the racks are generally removed from the trucks that the latter may be used in combination with the ordinary wagonbox. Therefore it is desirable to have a support for the rack when not in use which will keep it from the ground and prevent its becoming rotten or strained. It is my purpose to furnish such a support which when combined with certain novel mechanisms will automatically load and unload the rack. I attain my object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the support, rack, and truck, showing in dotted lines the position of the rack when lifted from the truck. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the truck being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail of the forward end of one of the support-beams. Fig. 4 is a detail of the corresponding end of the other support-beam.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

A A are the support-posts, which are to be firmly set in the earth, two on either side of a space of sufficient Width for the passage of the wagon between them. Each pair of posts "A is connected by the beams B, which are firmly attached to the tops of the posts A by any suitable means, said beams B being parallel to each other.

Upon the beams B are hinged by means of the hinges D the beams 0, provided at their forward ends with the hinged blocks E. 'lhese blocks are provided with upwardly-extending projections F and with the openings E. Through the openings E and corresponding openings in the beams 0 pins may be in serted, serving tohold the beams O and blocks E firmly together when it is desired that the parts F extend above the upper lines of the beams C. When it is desired to drop the blocks E, for reasons hereinafter shown, the said pins are easily removed.

At the corresponding ends of the beams B are firmly secured the blocks B, which serve to hold the hinges D from forward movement when they reach the position sh own in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 2, H is one of the two longitudinal stringers of the hay-rack, to which is pivoted the hook-arm J, the rectangular openingJ of which is larger than the top of the bolster K, allowing play, but securing the rack against longitudinal movement when on the wagon-trucks. The rack is held from lateral movement-by the usual bolster-stakes. The corresponding stringer is likewise provided with an arm J.

The members J, E, and B of my invention are preferably made of malleable iron and are secured to the frames of the rack and beams by means of the usual bolts.

The operation of my invention is as follows: As the truck carrying the empty hayrack is driven between the sides of the support the cross-beams of the rack slide along the top of the beams 0, said beams being of the proper height to permit this. As the front cross-beam L of the rack meets the extremities F of the blocks E its progress is retarded, but the bolster K, pressing against the front walls of the openings J of the hooks J, forces the rack against the blocks E with sufficient force to cause the beams C to rise and carry the rack with them, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The forward progress of the wagontruck removes the bolster from the openings J and the hooks J assume a substantially vertical position, as illustrated. The blocks B prevent the hinges D from passing farther beyond the vertical than is necessary to firmly hold the rack in the required position. Vb en it is desired to reload the rack upon the truck, the latter is backed beneath the rack until the bolster K is caught in the opening J,when the pressure of the said bolster K upon the rear walls of the said openings forces the rack backward and it in turn forces the bars 0 back into their first position on the beams B. The driver can then back out with his loaded truck, or, if he desire, he can remove the pins in openings E, thereby dropping the hooked blocks E, and the rack will then remain in position upon the truck as he drives forward.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a hayrack support, the supportingposts arranged in pairs, and sufficiently wide apart to allow the passage of the wagon between them, and the side beams which connect the posts together in pairs, combined with a hay-rack provided with stringers, suit-able hooks connected to the stringers, and a wagontruek with which the hooks engage, substantially as shown.

2. In a hay-rack, the supporting-posts, the side beams for connecting them in pairs, the beam 0 placed upon the connecting-beams, and the links for loosely connecting the two sets of beams together, combined with the blocks E hinged to the beam 0, the hay-rack placed upon the beam C and bearing against the blocks, hooks pivoted to the hay-rack, and the wagon-truck with which the hooks engage and suitable stops upon the connecting-beams for limiting the movement of the links, substantially as set forth.

3. The posts, the beams D for connecting them together in pairs,the connecting-links, the beam 0 placed upon the connecting-beams and united thereto by means of the links, and the blocks upon the ends of the'beam O, combined with thehay-rack, hooks pivoted thereto, and the wagon-truck with which the hooks engage, substantially as specified.

WVILLIAM ll. BECKER.

\Vitnesses:

J. II. HUsEMAN, W. J. FULLER. 

